The Dorklyst: The 7 Craziest Self-Imposed Challenges in Videogame History

Andrew Henderson

October 25, 2012

Some gamers have a problem - the games they play just aren't difficult enough. Sure, the game was fun, but what if it was incredibly hard too? What if someone made up challenges that were so tedious and impossible that it would render the entire experience into nothing more than anguished frustration and mind-numbing boredom? "HELLYES!" cheered the masochistic gamers, each cracking their knuckles in anticipation of the Herculean virtual tasks ahead - the 7 craziest self-imposed challenges in videogame history.

7. The Green Mushroom Race (Super Mario 64)

Sometimes the best ideas come from sheer boredom - this is not one of those ideas, but odds are it did spring from being super-bored. Super Mario 64 is not a hugely difficult game - there are a number of challenges, each one pretty clearly illuminated in each level. Once you've completed those, what else is left? In short: The Green Mushroom Challenge. To initiate the challenge, you have to climb a tree that spawns a green 1-UP mushroom, and then rush to collect all eight red coins within a level before collecting the green mushroom, which is chasing Mario the entire time. What makes this so frustrating is that the green mushroom travels slightly faster than Mario, so instead of simply running, you have to "trick" it by constantly pivot-jumping over it and long jumping across chasms.

As shown in the video above, the green mushroom doesn't just casually slide along until it falls off the level, it relentlessly pursues you. For example, when the player uses the level warp to get back to the top of the mountain, the mushroom is waiting for him back at the bottom of the level, and then continues to chase him like a lost puppy with nothing to lose. Can you imagine running away from an extra life on purpose? Talk about World 1-1 problems.

6. The Nuzlocke Challenge (Pokémon)

Pokémon, in and of itself, is not the hardest game to complete. It takes persistence, but anyone can beat virtually any Pokémon game, given enough time. And without difficulty settings, it's up to you to add some real difficulty - enter The Nuzlocke Challenge: You can only catch the first Pokémon you encounter in each area, and whenever a pokémon faints, you must release it. While simple in its design, the challenge substantially increases the game's complexity, because when "use 'Harden' until the other guy gets bored" is a third of your team's core battle strategy, you have to put a lot more thought into how you utilize your Pokémon. This challenge is a favorite among Pokémon's most hardcore fans, as it forces players to train and bond with Pokémon they normally wouldn't use, and learn to appreciate and exploit the strengths of the underused Pokémon. A team of Rattatas and Metapods isn't exactly the team you would have chosen, but it's the team you get. Now nickname them all "Butt" like you usually do and get down to business.

5. The No-Sphere-Grid Challenge (Final Fantasy X)

This challenge gained notoriety with Final Fantasy X, and it has since inspired multiple adaptations in the more recent Final Fantasy games. The No-Sphere-Grid Challenge limits players from relying on beefed up skills and abilities by not allowing them to touch the Sphere Grid at all, making it a more "pure" experience, and emphasizing each character's very basic stats and weapons. This means players must be incredibly tactical in how they utilize their team leveraging any and all advantages they can get.

Similar to the Nuzlocke Challenge, this forces players to use less than favorable characters, substituting Auron for B-listers like Kimahri (ugh) and Rikku (more ugh). Seeing as you are limited to only having Fire and Cure at your disposal, this naturally incorporates an insane amount of level grinding. This, however, will make most people cry less than trying to dodge 100 lightning bolts.